You may all be interested in how much different Roger pence, the President
of the North Beacon Hill Community Council, is sounding these days. This
was the announcement that he sent out to the community about the
SHARE/WHEEL proposal hearing. Except for one little snipe, it is
remarkably positive.
I have hope.
[forward]
Subject: RFP on Beacon Hill
On July 14th, the North Beacon Hill Council voted unanimously to
solicit a proposal from the Share/Wheel organization to establish a new
six-month encampment on Beacon Hill, one that would be well-managed and
operated according to S/W's strict code-of-conduct.
This vote occurred two days after the Sunday Forum convened by the
Council, which included a panel of speakers representing the Council, S/W,
and the City. Most of the approx. 50 forum attendees supported the
encampment. Camp opponents on Beacon Hill may have concluded the problem
was over when the City removed the second camp (in Jose Rizal Park) a few
days earlier.
We expect to receive the S/W proposal this week. I am sure there
will be much informal discussion in the community, and then we will discuss
it at the next regular meeting of the Council, which will be on Tuesday,
August 11th, at 7:00 PM. This meeting will be in a large room at Asa Mercer
Middle School, instead of its usual location at the community center.
Why are we soliciting a proposal for a new encampment, when the
previous two were so controversial? Several reasons.
-A major part of the concern about the first camps was the stealth
and intrigue used by S/W in setting them up and their problems
communicating with the people of the host community.
-The camps themselves operated for 3 weeks with no apparent
problems.
-There is an apparent need for this type of facility, as part of a
continuum of services for the homeless.
There is no guarantee that the Beacon Hill community will accept
the S/W proposal. Amendments may need to be negotiated. Opponents may show
up this time and fight it. We also need to figure out how the community's
acceptance can be determined (it will need to be something more than simply
a vote of the North Beacon Hill Council).
City policy is that tent camps for the homeless are unacceptable
anywhere under any circumstances. The City has been very inconsistent in
enforcing that policy, however. After hearing opposition to S/W's two
formal encampments on Beacon Hill, the City forced their removal. But the
City has been remarkably tolerant of the dangerous, informal camps that
have existed for years in the Jungle. Only once or twice a year when the
garbage gets too high, the City cleans out the Jungle. But campers are
always free to return, and they do.
If the Beacon Hill community can decide that a peaceful, safe,
well-operated encampment is welcomed here, then I hope the City will change
its policy, at least with regard to this one experiment.
About all the City can offer in the way of additional facilities
for the homeless is more mats on the floor. They opened the Municipal
Building for sleeping between 10 PM and 5 AM. When morning comes, people
leave with all their belongings.
The S/W camps are available 24 hours a day, people can leave their
things behind when they go for meals or to work (yes, a significant percent
of the homeless actually have jobs). (Imagine how difficult it would be to
get or keep a job if you had to take your bedroll to work with you!)
Anyway, the S/W people have made a good argument for their cause.
This time, they want to do it right by working cooperatively with the host
community. We'll see what happens.
What do you think? Am interested in responses from everyone.
Please redistribute this message to people who are, or should be,
interested. Thank you.
-Roger Pence
President, North Beacon Hill Council
END FORWARD
____________________________
Anitra L. Freeman, for SHARE/WHEEL
Seattle Housing and Resource Effort http://insideshare.hypermart.net/SHARE@canwetalk.com
Women's Housing Equality and Enhancement League
http://members.tripod.com/~WHEEL98/WHEEL@canwetalk.com
Tent City 2 http://insideshare.hypermart.net/tc2.html